Preview: RSL v. Houston Dynamo

Claret-and-Cobalt look to close busy week with win over Dynamo

August 9, 2013

RSL Communications

RealSaltLake.com

SANDY, Utah – Fresh off of its U.S. Open Cup Semifinal win over the Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake will return to league play on Saturday, when it will host the Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Saturday’s game will kick at 7:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM. CW30 will air its 30-minute Ford Postgame Show immediately following the match; ESPN 700 will begin its pregame coverage at 6:30 p.m. MT and will air an hour-long postgame show immediately following the final whistle.

Saturday’s match will be the third in seven days for Real Salt Lake. The Claret-and-Cobalt went 1-0-1 in the first two games of its busy stretch, tying 2-2 at the Colorado Rapids last Saturday before beating the Timbers 2-1 in Open Cup action at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday.

RSL enters Saturday’s match in first-place in the Western Conference and in a tie with the New York Red Bulls at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings. The Utah side leads the West in points per game and is tied for second in the league with New York in PPG, trailing only the Montreal Impact.

Saturday’s contest is the only regular season meeting between RSL and the Dynamo this year. RSL lost its lone match against Houston last season, giving up a 93rd minute penalty kick goal to fall 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Sept. 6, 2012. RSL has done well against Houston at home, posting a 3-1-4 record against the Dynamo in eight league games in the Beehive State.

Houston enters Saturday’s game on a hot run of form, unbeaten in its last four games and winners of three of its last four. The Dynamo cruised to a relatively easy victory in its last match, scoring two early goals on its way to a 3-1 home win over the Columbus Crew.

A limited number of tickets are still available to Saturday’s match and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

The Claret-and-Cobalt will hit the road following this weekend’s contest against the Dynamo, traveling to Southern California for a match at the LA Galaxy next Saturday, Aug. 17 before heading to Portland for a match at the Timbers on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Real Salt Lake trails Houston by a wide margin in the all-time series between the clubs, posting a 3-9-5 record against the Dynamo. All three of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s wins against the Texas side have come at home, where RSL has a solid 3-1-4 record against Houston.

RSL lost its last match against Houston, giving up a penalty kick goal in the 93rd minute to fall 1-0 at Houston on Sept. 6, 2012. The Claret-and-Cobalt tied its last home match against Houston, playing the Dynamo to a scoreless draw at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 14, 2011.